"Oh, don't worry," Nova replied. "Nightshade doesn't know how to do any of that." "And she hated us for that," Static said. "She begged Nova to teach her. Was furious when she refused. It was only recently that she started visiting us again."
"You're not wrong." Nova replied. "Nightshade is one of the most loving and selfless ponies you're likely to meet. She doesn't fall in love easily, but she does, she falls hard, and loves with everything she has. She's totally loyal to the ones she loves, and would gladly die for them. She sees herself as a savior to the powerless, because she's felt powerless so many times in her own life. She defines her happiness through the ponies she loves and the ponies she helps. Her empathy directs her actions, and that's what makes her dangerous. If she thinks that she's about to lose somepony she loves... if somepony tries to hurt somepony she loves... that empathy turns into rage."
"So nopony's ever going to touch Raven without Nightshade having something to say about it. This is good."
Nova, being a mother, a soldier, and not a complete idiot, picked up on Asmo's subtle clues. "Alright, green. What do you know?"
Asmo tilted his head. "About what?" Dusty sighed. "Asmodeus. Come on." Azrael growled and walked towards his table.
Asmo shrugged. "No *squee!*ing idea." Azrael slammed his hoof on the table. "Stop. Lying." Asmo jolted a bit. "I'm not, Formaldehorse! Now you and Cryptic Granny get off my case!"
Cricket, who was still sitting at the bar, sighed and set the newspaper she was reading down. "Tell them, Asmo. They'll find out soon enough." On the bottom of the front page, under the story about the Changeling that had been welcomed into the Crystal Empire, was another headline: Prominent Music Critic Institutionalized After Apparent Mental Breakdown - Claims He Was Attacked By A Hideous Monster Mare
Dusty took a look at the paper and read the headline aloud, narrowing his eyes. Azrael reached across the table, yanked Asmo across, twisted his foreleg behind his back and pinned his chest to the ground. "Tell us!" Asmo squirmed around and winced. "Nnng... Alright! *squee!*! It was Shady!"